Process for converting flax-straw fiber into paper-pulp.



I. H'. IIIELCHERS.

PHOCSS FOR CONVERTING `FLAX STRAW FIBER INTO PAPER PULP.

APPLICATION FILED v5.0.2. I9I'2.

Patented. Dec. 7. 12H5.

"Lc/@Till SRAW PRODUCTS CO., F VICCANN, NORTH DAHDTA, EL CORFCRA- RCEES .EUR NVERZIXNG EFLX-STRIUV "FIBER ITO PAPERfPULP.

Applica "on 'filed Becernber 5?., 1512.

llc it known that L .loHN ll. lilmionuns, a, citizen Ji? the llni'tcd States, residing at ylinucupolisS in the county of Hennepin and hltate or li'innesoia, have invented certain new and useful ll.nipror'einente in Processes lor lonreriiing: l'Vlnx-ritrair Fiber into .llapciklhilpy oi which the following; is a speri-- ication.

lily invention relates to improvements in a process for conicrtinglinx. straw liber into paper pulp.

@ne of the objects of my invention to convert the exterior liber covering of linx straw into pulp, suitable for the manufacture of paper, whereby lo produce a tough smooth desirable papera in Figure l, et' the drawings, l1 have shown an arrangement of machines'end (lerices whereby my improved, process may be carried into effect. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional rien' oi: :i straw or flax stem, showing the long" sillty fiber, or bast, which l segregate from the wood bodypart and 'inte n pulp suitable, when made by my procees7 for the manufacture of paper.4

ln carrying my process of making pulp into eiliect, lV tiret eliminate the clust and chail" from lhe straw, as much :is may be, and then naiss it through a straw cutter 5 which cuts the raw into sections or lengths about one niarter of an inch long?. lt then passes on to ay shaker screen G which. reinoyes the remaining; dust. From the Screen (l it ie passed into a grinder or shredder 7 which breaks up the woody part of 'the straw' into fine bits and separates the liber poly tion thereof into substantially the original lengths of the rut straw sections, thus fibrillatingr the material which l desire to cow vert into pulp. `Wl1en the material leaves the grinder it passes on to the shaker screen S which'sifts out the pulverizcd Woody ports, thus? leaving" thc fibrous material on the screen. The conreyer l) carries the ber up to and causes it tov be deposited in a rotary boiler or diggester l0, where it is cooked under prenelira` in a solution of potassium carbonate (QCS).

The advantages, over the usual sodaJ process7 which are obtained by my process in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Elec. "l, Serial No. N4-ASQ.

use or' potassium carbonate solution are that it is more economical and that it seyes the expense ol' caustifying as in the sodad process of reclainiiur` as my solution is already can honated: th'at the abundance of potassium carlionatc` and other potassium. salts in the liber operated upon, renders the use of po'- iassiuiu carbonate Very desirable in extract inlel these salts, and furthermore, the potassium carbonate is not nearly so destructive to the liber in the cooking,- of flax straw, when properly handled :is the'causiiic nlkalis after the straw has been boiled therein a suilicient length of time, and again, in the process of reclaiming the potassium carbonate, less vater is necessary to be evaporated :is the water is eliminated which `would have receptacle 12 by rotating the boiler on its axis E-13 by means of the hand Wheel 14. Part of the liquid may now be carried oli by the nine l5 to theI tank 18. The pulpis now taken by the conveyor i6 to a conveyor press 1T, or other suitable press, whereby more oi' the liquid expressed from the mass. rThis liquid. may be led oil' into the tank or other receptacle 18. as by means of the pipe 1S), from which it may be taken 'for reclamation. The cooking liquid may be directly subjected to heat to evaporate the water content and thereby to reclaim the potassium carbonate. This may be done without necessity of caustifying the solution prcliuiinarily. The pulp may be new taken Jfrom the press 17, as by the conifeyer 2th to the beater Q1 where it is washed :nul

prepared for tho further treatment in ille usual manner necessary prior to its fornialion into paper sheets.

llaring described my invention what claim is:

The process of making paper pulp of In testilholrvh whereof I hereunto ser, my hund in the presence of Lwo \\'iiznusscs.

JOHN HENK Y MELUHERS. in the presence of SnroN MICHAEL MUCANNA, (7h20. M. MCUANNA.

Hari straw which consists in separating the woody portion of the stra-w from the ber, @ching the ber under pressure, inI a. solu- -hm @i potassium Carbonate (H1003) and hen expressing most of the cooking liquid 'from the pulp und Washing the pulp. 

